The '''Celduin''' or '''River Running''' was a 600-[[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] miles long [[Rivers|river]] that poured out of the gate of the[[Lonely Mountain]],<ref>{{H|Home}}</ref> ran south through the [[Long Lake]] and thence through the eastern outskirts of [[Mirkwood]],<ref name="Wilderland">{{H|Wilderland}}</ref> then south east through apparently uninhabited regions of [[Rhovanion (region)|Rhovanion]] to its confluence with the [[Carnen]] and finally in a long south-eastward loop to the great inland [[Sea of Rhûn]],<ref name="Rhun">{{UT|Map}}</ref> past the land of [[Dorwinion]].<ref>Pauline Baynes' ''Map of Middle-earth'' (1970)</ref> The Celduin had three tributaries: the [[Forest River]], which flowed into the Long Lake from the west; a small unnamed river that flowed from the [[Mountains of Mirkwood]] to join the Celduin just north of the [[Old Forest Road]];<ref name="Wilderland"/> and the Carnen, which entered the Celduin from the northeast about halfway between Mirkwood and the Sea of Rhûn.<ref name="Rhun"/>

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The '''River Running''' or '''Celduin''' was a long [[Rivers|river]] that flowed from [[Lonely Mountain]], through the [[Long Lake]] and down through [[Rhovanion (region)|Rhovanion]] to the inland [[Sea of Rhûn]].

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==Description==

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The River Running was a 600-[[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] miles long [[Rivers|river]] that poured out of the [[Front Gate]] of the [[Lonely Mountain]], descended over two falls and swirled around [[Dale]]. It turned west beyond [[Ravenhill]] and then east and south to [[Long Lake]]<ref>{{H|Home}}</ref> and thence through the eastern outskirts of [[Mirkwood]],<ref name="Wilderland">{{H|Wilderland}}</ref> then south east through apparently uninhabited regions of [[Rhovanion (region)|Rhovanion]] to its confluence with the [[Carnen]] and finally in a long south-eastward loop to the great inland [[Sea of Rhûn]],<ref name="Rhun">{{UT|Map}}</ref> past the land of [[Dorwinion]].<ref>Pauline Baynes' ''Map of Middle-earth'' (1970)</ref>

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The Celduin had three tributaries: the [[Forest River]], which flowed into the Long Lake from the west; a small unnamed river that flowed from the [[Mountains of Mirkwood]] to join the Celduin just north of the [[Old Forest Road]];<ref name="Wilderland"/> and the Carnen, which entered the Celduin from the northeast about halfway between Mirkwood and the Sea of Rhûn.<ref name="Rhun"/>

==History==

==History==

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In the thirteenth century of the [[Third Age]] the Celduin had formed the northeast border of the lands of [[Vidugavia]].<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> During the [[Great Plague]] of {{TA|1636}}<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref> more than half of the people of Rhovanion died and when the [[Wainriders]] invaded from the east (beginning in {{TA|1851|n}}<ref name="TA"/>) the remaining [[Northmen]] in the region fled across the Celduin and merged with the folk of [[Dale]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (i) ''The Northmen and the Wainriders''</ref> After the threat of the Wainriders ended some of the Northmen drifted back along the banks of the Celduin but when [[Cirion]] became the Steward of [[Gondor]] he learned that new [[Easterlings]] were again driving the remnant of the Northmen up the Celduin.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (ii) ''The Ride of Eorl''</ref> Between the time when [[Thráin I]] founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in {{TA|1999|n}}) and the arrival of [[Smaug]] (in {{TA|2770|n}})<ref name="TA"/> the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all eastern enemies.<ref>{{App|Durin}}</ref> Even after the arrival of the dragon at the Lonely Mountain the Celduin was still a highway of trade for [[Thranduil]]'s kingdom, the town of [[Esgaroth]], and places to the south.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

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In the thirteenth century of the [[Third Age]] the Celduin had formed the northeast border of the lands of [[Vidugavia]].<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> During the [[Great Plague]] of {{TA|1636}}<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref> more than half of the people of Rhovanion died and when the [[Wainriders]] invaded from the east (beginning in {{TA|1851|n}}<ref name="TA"/>) the remaining [[Northmen]] in the region fled across the Celduin and merged with the folk of [[Dale]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (i) ''The Northmen and the Wainriders''</ref> After the threat of the Wainriders ended some of the Northmen drifted back along the banks of the Celduin but when [[Cirion]] became the Steward of [[Gondor]] he learned that new [[Easterlings]] were again driving the remnant of the Northmen up the Celduin.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (ii) ''The Ride of Eorl''</ref>

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==Celduin or Carnen &mdash; Which River Flowed into the Sea of Rhûn?==

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Between the time when [[Thráin I]] founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in {{TA|1999|n}}) and the arrival of [[Smaug]] (in {{TA|2770|n}})<ref name="TA"/> the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all eastern enemies.<ref>{{App|Durin}}</ref> Even after the arrival of the dragon at the Lonely Mountain the Celduin was still a highway of trade for [[Thranduil]]'s kingdom, the town of [[Lake-town|Esgaroth]], and places to the south.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

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==Disputes==

In none of the maps that showed Rhovanion (in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', the [[A Map of Middle-earth|Pauline Baynes' Map]], or the ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'') was it made clear what the name of the river was from the confluence of the Celduin and the Carnen to the Sea of Rhûn. However, in the Index to the ''Unfinished Tales'' [[Christopher Tolkien]] included information about the ''Carnen'': "'Redwater', river flowing down from the Iron Hills to join the River Running" and the ''Celduin'': "River flowing from the Lonely Mountain '''to the Sea of Rhûn'''".<ref>{{UT|Index}}</ref> Per these statements it was the Celduin that flowed to the Sea and the Carnen was but one of its tributaries.

In none of the maps that showed Rhovanion (in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', the [[A Map of Middle-earth|Pauline Baynes' Map]], or the ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'') was it made clear what the name of the river was from the confluence of the Celduin and the Carnen to the Sea of Rhûn. However, in the Index to the ''Unfinished Tales'' [[Christopher Tolkien]] included information about the ''Carnen'': "'Redwater', river flowing down from the Iron Hills to join the River Running" and the ''Celduin'': "River flowing from the Lonely Mountain '''to the Sea of Rhûn'''".<ref>{{UT|Index}}</ref> Per these statements it was the Celduin that flowed to the Sea and the Carnen was but one of its tributaries.

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==Other Versions of the Legendarium==

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In the earliest version of the map that would become [[Thrór's Map]] in ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the River Running flowed nearly due east from the ruins of Dale. On this map [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] scratched out the eastward flow and put in the bend to the Long Lake, stressing the change with an arrow.<ref>{{HH|Pryftan}}, p. 18</ref>

The Celduin had three tributaries: the Forest River, which flowed into the Long Lake from the west; a small unnamed river that flowed from the Mountains of Mirkwood to join the Celduin just north of the Old Forest Road;[2] and the Carnen, which entered the Celduin from the northeast about halfway between Mirkwood and the Sea of Rhûn.[3]

History

In the thirteenth century of the Third Age the Celduin had formed the northeast border of the lands of Vidugavia.[5] During the Great Plague of T.A.1636[6] more than half of the people of Rhovanion died and when the Wainriders invaded from the east (beginning in 1851[6]) the remaining Northmen in the region fled across the Celduin and merged with the folk of Dale.[7] After the threat of the Wainriders ended some of the Northmen drifted back along the banks of the Celduin but when Cirion became the Steward of Gondor he learned that new Easterlings were again driving the remnant of the Northmen up the Celduin.[8]

Between the time when Thráin I founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in 1999) and the arrival of Smaug (in 2770)[6] the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all eastern enemies.[9] Even after the arrival of the dragon at the Lonely Mountain the Celduin was still a highway of trade for Thranduil's kingdom, the town of Esgaroth, and places to the south.[10]

Disputes

In none of the maps that showed Rhovanion (in The Lord of the Rings, the Pauline Baynes' Map, or the Unfinished Tales) was it made clear what the name of the river was from the confluence of the Celduin and the Carnen to the Sea of Rhûn. However, in the Index to the Unfinished TalesChristopher Tolkien included information about the Carnen: "'Redwater', river flowing down from the Iron Hills to join the River Running" and the Celduin: "River flowing from the Lonely Mountain to the Sea of Rhûn".[11] Per these statements it was the Celduin that flowed to the Sea and the Carnen was but one of its tributaries.

Other Versions of the Legendarium

In the earliest version of the map that would become Thrór's Map in The Hobbit, the River Running flowed nearly due east from the ruins of Dale. On this map Tolkien scratched out the eastward flow and put in the bend to the Long Lake, stressing the change with an arrow.[12]